Metallic tie.



E. H. SPALDING.

METALHC TIE; APPLICATION FILED mu.24. I917.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

NVENTOR ATTORNEY lit] EDWARD H. SPALDING, OF DULUTH, MINNE$OTA.

METALLIC TIE.

Application filed January 2st, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. SIALDING, a citizen of the United States, residing Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and t itate of lltlinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Ties, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference, gen orally, to improvements in rail tics; and, the invention relates, more particularly, to a novel form of metallic tie.

The usual wooden tic, due to its resilient qualities, has been generally adopted for use by various railway connpanies, although, it is a conceded point that this form of tie open to numerous objections; for instance, the rapidity of deterioration caused by subjection to the elements, oftentimes, rendering the tie unfit for further use in a com paratively short period of time; the inability of track workmen to properly tamp ballast under the tie, consequently permitting irregularities to frequently occur in the tracks and rendering the passage of rolling stool: thereover, dangerous; and the enormous c2;- peuse entailed by the increased number of ties used for supporting the tracks Where considi-n-able freight is hauled. It is also manifest, that considerable expense is created by the hauling of the wooden ties.

may be stated, that the principal object of the present invention is to provide a rail. tie which will eliminate the above mentioned objections, and will, by its peculiar formation, present an exceedingly strong construction and yet, possess the resilient qualities offered by the wooden tie.

The invention also aims to provide a novel tie which will, when shipping a number thereof, require but a minimum amount of space, hence, permitting larger shipments in a limited. space and reducing the cost of haulage, materially.

Another important characteristic of the invention, resides in the provision of a guard, the same being arranged upon the rail tie and preventing persons and animals from walking between the rails, thus, lessening the liability of various accidents.

Other improvements and novel. details in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the tie will be brought out more in detail in the description to follow, which, for a clear understanding of the invention, should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

serial No. 1%,266.

part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose of illustration, a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan of several of the improved rail ties supporting rails.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line of Fig. 2 and Fig. l is a similar section taken on the line eti of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now in detail to the several fig ures of the said drawings, it will be noted, that I have, by way of illustration, shown my improved rail tie used in conjunction with the ordinary form of rail, which I have indicated by the numeral 1. With particular reference to the present improvements, the construction embodies a double bodied supporting; member 2-, which is formed from a single sheet of metal, such as steel or the like and is bent upon itself to constitute the arrangement of the substantially double U- shaped supporting bodies. in forming the top portions of the double-bodied support '2, thickened portions 3 are provided, at such distances from the ends of the tie that they will receive the bases of the rails as will readily be understood and as shown in Fig. 1. The rail members are placed in a punch press where the thickened portions 8 are stamped with lugs 11. These lijlgs t which are thus struck upwardly from the thickened portions 3, receive the bases of the rails 1 and form eflicient rail receiving and retaining chairs.

In actual practice the lugs l are such a distance apart, that the base of a rail may be inserted therebetween. The base of the rail lies loosely between the lugs, but 1 provide a retaining means to hold the rail rigidly in position.

The retaining means for holding the rail in its position between the lugs l, consists of fastening devices in the form of split wedges 5. The split wedges 5 are inserted between the up 'ardly bent lugs d at the inner side of the tie and adjacent the base portion of the rail. The outer portion of the wedge 5 in each instance bent backwardly and into tight engagement with its respective lug 4t.

It will of course be understood that the inner lug 4s beneath which the wedge 5 is applied, affords sufiicient space for the insertion of the wedge 5 by reason of the distance the lug is. spaced from the adjacent base of the rail, representing the original loose engagement of the rail base with the lugs, previously referred to. It will be understood that upon driving the wedges into position and bending the split ends (3 over the lugs, fflll'iLllQl movement an d spreading of the rails is prevented.

As previously pointed out, the keying space between the rail. base and the adjacent lugs 4-, is only suflicient to admit one flange of the rail when the other is raised. over the outside lug. After dropping the rail to its position between the lugs it is moved horizontally outwardly into close engagement with the outside lug, leaving a space between the inside of the rail and the other lug for the split wedge lrey which is made of soft iron. There is no flexibility or bending whatever of the lugs l, the keying of the rail being accomplished by the soft iron wedge key.

As hereinbefore stated, the tie E3 is formed from a plurality of substantially Ushaped bodies, therefore, it will be apparent that the placing of ballast therebeneath is necessary. Viith this end in view, gates 7, are hingedly mounted upon t 'ansversely disposed bolts 8 and are limited in their swinging movement by means of pins 9, the lower extremities of which are formed to afford stops adapted to be engaged by the upper portions .of said gates. To retain. the gates in closed position, spring members 10 are arranged OYGl' the opposite ends of the ties and are secured. in position thereon by means of the pins 9. Thus, when the gates 7 are swung into their upright positions, the adjacent ends of the spring members will. be forced upwardly to permit the passing of the gates. lVhen the gates have engaged the movement limiting stops, the springs will then snap into locking position and conse quently prevent outward movement of the gates until depressed. To facilitate the moving of the hinged gates 7, eyelets 11 are engaged therewith and are adapted to receive therethrough a suitable implement, thus, allowing the gates to be readily drawn outwardly when the locking ends of the springs 10 are depressed. In placing the ballast under the ties 9., the gates 7 are swung to open position and the ballast, such as sand, gravel, or crushed rock then forced thereunder and packed by means of suitable implements. The gates are then swung into upright position, whereupon, they are engaged by the locking springs 10.

To prevent spreading of the ties, that is, the lower sides thereof, bolts 12 are passed therethrough and locked into engagement neaa leo therewith as shown in 4-. The ends of the bolts 12 are not threaded as is the usual practice, but the bores of the nuts are formed smooth whereby they may be fitted over the ends of the bolts and locked into position by suitable cotter pins 12. The objeetion to threading nuts on the ends of the bolts is, that the movements of trains over the rails would loosen the nuts and cause them to drop from the bolts.

In order to provide efficient guard means for the tracks, whereby persons or animals will be prevented from walking between the rails, metal strips 13 having the upper poi tions serrated are arranged between the adjacent walls of the double bodied tie and. are secured thereto by means of rivets, designated at 14:. Obviously, accidents caused by persons walking upon the tracks or animals wandering therealong will be lessened.

it plurality of apertures 15 are arranged within the end. portions of the ties 2 and afford means whereby the said tie may be easily handled during shipment or placing of fl same in position to support the rails 1, it being evident, that these apertures may be engaged by hooks or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated by workers in the art, that I have provided a. metallic rail tie distinctly in advance of the ordinary wooden tie now widely used, the construction possessing sufficient resili ency and affording by far, a much. superior eonstrrmtion. Should it be desired to raise or lower the track, due to various irregularities in the ground, which frequently occur, the gates 7 are swung into open position and ballast then inserted. under or re moved from the ties 2 until proper adjust ment thereof has been attained.

FVhile l. have herein illust'ated and described with a considerable degree of particularity, constructional details of the tie embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as confining the invention to the particular embodiment chosen for illustration herein, nor to the exact construction, arraiige-ment and adaptation of the parts shown and described, but I reserve the right to make any changes and alterations that may fairly fallv within the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In a metallic tie formed from asingle sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double supporting body, the upper portions of said body being materially thickened for strengthening the body, rail supporting means arranged upon said upper portions, and means arranged upon the opposite ends of said body for closing the same and retaining ballast under the tie.

2. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double hollow supporting body, the upper 1,25s,4es

portions of said body being thickened Whereby to strengthen the body, rail securing, means arranged upon said upper portions, pivotal gates carried by the body adjacent the open ends thereof for closing; the same and retaining ballast thereunder, and yieldable means carried by the ends of said body engageable with said gates for locking the saline in closed position.

3. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double bellow supporting body, the upper portions of said body being; thickened Where by to strengthen. the body rail securing nieans arranged upon said upper portions pivotal grates carried by the body adjacent the open ends thereof for retaining ballast thereunder, yieldal'ile means for maintaining the gates in closed position, and means ar ranged upon the opposite ends of the body for facilitating moving thereof.

i. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double supporting, body, rail securing means arranged upon said body, and a ser rated guard secured to adjacent Walls of the double body and projecting above the same.

5. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double hollow supporting body, the upper portions of said body being thickened whereby to strengthen the body, rail securing means arranged upon said upper portions, hinged gates carried by the body adjacent the open ends thereoi ..or closing the same and retaining ballast under the tie, yieldable means ezirried by the tie for inaintaiir ing said gates in closed positioin means arraruzged upon the opposite ends of the body for :larilitatiue; moving thereof, and a serrated bar secured to l" no body between the adjacent Walls thereof. as and for the purpose set :lorth.

(5. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double hodyg rail securing means arranged upon said body, and a. guard plate positioned between adjacent walls of the double body and projecting l'hereabo've.

T. In a metallic tie formed. from a single sheet of metal bent upon. itsef to eons .tute a double supporting: body, of substantially inierted. ll-shaped structure cross sectioned rail sewn-innineaus arranged upon said laidy, and a gun rd plate interposed between the adjacent ualls o f the inverted iil-shapiul structure and projectiiu; thereabore.

S. In a u'ietallic tie, formed from a single sheet of metal bent to form a hollow body, pivotal gates carried by the body adjacent the ends thereof for closing the same and retainingballast thereunder, and yieldable means carried by the ends of said body ong'ageable with said gates for releasably holdng the same in a closed. position,

fl. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of material bent to form a hollow body, rel securin r means arrz'u'iged upon said body, 'iimtal gates carried by said body adjacent the open ends thereof for retaininn ballast thereuiuler. and flat springs car ried by id body adjacent the ends, said flat springs projecting inwardly to releasabl'y bear upon said gates for holding the same in (dosed positions.

if). in a metallic tie, ifOl'IUQLl from a single sluuit of metal be: t upon itself to constitute a hollow body. rail supporting means arranged upon said holly pivotal gates carried by said body adjacent the open ends thereof for retaining ballast thereunder, pins carried by said body adjacent the ends thereof, said pins baring; thickened inner ends for mmstituting abutment for said gates, flat sprine'z carried by said pin and extending around. and into the ends of said body, thus bearing); upon said gates for releasably holding: the same in closed 'iosition.

ll. in a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of me al bent to form a hollow body. upwardly extending lugs :arried on said body. thus allowing a rail to be interposed between the same, a wedge interposed under one of the hr. for holding the rail against slipping said Wedge having a split end bent to present a comparatively J-shapcd structure in cross section for engaging the lug and holding; the wedge against displacement.

12. In a metallic tie formed from a single sheet of metal bent upon itself to constitute a double supporting body of substantially inverted U shapeifl structure in cross section, said double supporting: body having open lower portions thus presenting a resilient and non-skidding construction, rail securing; rueans arranged upon said body, and a guard plate interposed between the adjacent walls of the inverted U shaped structure and projecting thereaborc.

In testim ny whereof I edit: my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDlVARl) ll. SPALDING.

ll itnesses liILLiAM J. l-locnns, Haunt: C. lilauoLnson.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. U. 

